Rail fastening



H. J. M. RIGBY RAIL FASTENING Sept. 27, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1957 J) 022M708 041% g g M 6/ 47% flw L! In tr H. J. M. RIGBY RAIL FASTENING Sept. 27, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1957 8/ y-W /W Sept. 27, 1960 H. J. M. RIGBY 2,954,169

RAIL FASTENING Filed June 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2,954,169 RAIL FASTENING Hugh John Macbeth Rigby, Lindow Common, Wilmslow, England, assign'or to executors of James Mills Limited, Woodley, England, a British company Filed June '4, I957, Ser. No. 663,386

9' Claims. (Cl. 238-349) kind comprising a seat on the sleeper for supporting the underside of the rail flange, a resilient clip embodying upper and lower arms connected integrally and resiliently together at their one end by a resilient connecting portion, said arms being provided each adjacent their other end with a gripping portion adapted in the case of the upper arm to apply gripping pressure to the upperside of the rail flange and in the case of the lower arm to engage with adown'wardly directed abutment surface formed by the upperside of an opening beneath the rail seat which receives the lower arm of the clip.

The principal object of the present invention is to pro: vide rail securing means of the hind hereinbefore specified in which the reaction force exerted by the rail flange on the upper arm of the clip and by said abutment surface on the lower arm of the clip are balanced or substantially balanced so that the clip in its fully driven or operative position is not subjected to any external force tending to displace it in a vertical plane in such a manner as to disengage or tend to disengage it from the rail flange.

With this basic object in view the invention in its broadest aspect comprises railway rail securing means of the kind hereinbefore specified which is characterised in that the distance measured in a substantially horizontal direction perpendicular to the length of the rail between the outer end of the connecting portion of the clip and the gripping portion of each" arm nearest said connecting portion in each case is substantially the same in the case of each gripping portion.

A further object ofthe present invention is to provide rail securing means of the kind hereinbefore specified in which the reaction forces between the upper and lower arms of the clip and the rail flange and' abutment surface respectively are so aligned as to permit" of the sleeper being provided with a cast iron base plate and the rail secured thereto by one or more clips embodying the in vention.

Another object of the present invention is' to provide rail securing means of the kindhereinbef'ore specified in which the clip is'retained in its operative position solely by the pressure exerted by the grippin portions of the upper and lower arms on the'parts with which they respectively engage. I

Still a furtherobject of the invention is to provide rail securing means of the foregoing kindin which ample clearance is provided in the" vicinity of the lower arm of the clip'for the purpose ofdraining or disseminating any water which ma have collected inthevicinity thereof, whereby c'orrosiorf is minimized.

Another objectofthe' invention is to provide securing means of the foregoing kind inwhich I the clip 'is pro-stressed during the operation of positioning it on the sleeper, whereby the danger of failure under service conditions is minimized.

Another object of the invention is to provide rail securing means of the kind hereinbefore specified in which the clip can be mounted in a partially fitted position in relation to the sleeper, clear of the rail flange and re tained in such position whenthe rail is removed.

Yet a further object of. the present invention is to provide a new or improved form of clip and base plate applicable to rail securing means in accordance with this invention. 1

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, b

Figure 1 is a cross sectional end view of a rail supporting base plate provided with a pair of rail securing clips in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the construction depicted in Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the clips depicted in Figure 1, illustrating the clip in the unstressed condition.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating an alternative construction in which four clips are used for securing the rail to the base plate instead of only two clips, as in the case of Figure 1. v

Figure 5 is a plan view of the construction depicted in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the construction depicted in Figure 4.

Figure .7 is a plan View of an alternative form of rail securing clip in accordance with this invention.

Figure 8' is a side elevation of the clip depicted in' Figure 7'. a

Figure 9 is a' cross sectional end view of part of a rail supporting base plate depicting a further modification of the arrangement shown" in Figures 4 to 6.

Figures 10, l l arid 1 2 are views similar to Figure 9 each illustrating respectively a further modification.

Refening'fi-rstly to Figur'es 1 to 3 of the drawing the invention is illustrated as applied to a construction in which the sleeper 19 is provided with a base plate 20 formed separately from the sleeper, the base plate being provided with conventional holes 21' for securing the base plate to the sleeper by means of screws, bolts, or spikes independently of the fastening in position of the rail, which is depicted at 22, which rail is of conventional flange footed, i.e'. flat bottom, form.

The base plate 20' as is permitted by'the present invention is formed as a casting in cast iron as opposed to being manufactured in steel, and is provided on its upper side with the usual recess' 23; which provides a rail support seating. Eachseating isinclined slightly to the horizontal to provide the customary cant to the rail in the known manner.

The sleeper 19'togeth'er with the base plate 20 thereon constitutes a rail supporting base the seating provided by the recess 23' of which, serves to engage the underside of the said rail 22. g

The base plate 20 is formed at each of its lateral sides at a position centrally of the widthof the plate with a substantially horizontally extending blind hole, which holes are depicted at 2 4"and 25, and which terminate at a'position beneath the adjacent edge portion'of the seating 23. The said" blind holes 24, 25, are accordingly provided in the upper part of the rail supporting base,

namely, in the p'ortion of said'base provided by the base plate 20'.

One of these'holes, namely-,2'4, isa'somewhat greater depth in a vertical direction than that of the hole 25 to of the cast metal both above and below the hole 24 substantially the same as that obtaining above and below the hole 25 in manner which will be apparent from Figure 1 of the drawing. r

The upper and lower sides 26, 27, of the two holes 24 and 25 are respectively downwardly andupwardly inclined to the horizontal by a small amount in a direction inwardly of each hole so that these are of tapered form in a vertical plane in manner which will be apparent from Figure l, and the upper side 26 of each of the two holes constitute a lower clip-arm engaging abutment.

The two holes are of uniform width throughout their entire horizontal length and their inner ends are. provided with drainage openings 28 which extend therefrom to the underside of the base plate 20, although the provision of these openings 28 is not in any Way essential.

At a position centrally of the width of the base plate i.e. over a distance approximately one-third of the entire width of the base plate measured in a direction parallel to the length of the rail, the lateral sides of the rail seating recess 23 are extended above the base of the seating by a distance appreciably greater than the thickness of the adjacent edge of'the rail flange 29 to be secured, so as to provide shoulders 30 at each of these positions. The arrangement is such that the upper side 31 of each base plate shoulder 30 is spaced vertically above the upper side 26 of the adjacent hole 24, 25, by a distance which is appreciably greater than the corresponding spacing of the adjacent upper surface 32 of the rail flange 29, and in the particular arrangement illustrated the diflerence between these two spacing distances is approximately The upper surface of each shoulder 30 is inclined downwardly to the horizontal in a direction outwardly away from the rail seating 23, i.e. towards the mouth 33 of the adjacent hole 24, 25, so as at a position adjacent such month to be spaced from the adjacent edge of the hole by a distance of about /2 in the particular arrangement illustrated.

The upper surface of each shoulder 30 is further formed at a position intermediate the lateral edges of the shoulder with a shallow groove 34, which extends across the shoulder in a direction parallel to the length of the rail.

For securing the rail 22 to each base plate 20', a pair of rail securing clips are provided, one of these clips being depicted at 35 in Figure 3, and these clips are formed from a single length of spring steel which is bent tially semi-circular connecting portion 38 of the clip, the 7 two clip arms converging towards one another in a direction away from such connecting portion 38 towards the free ends, the free end 39 of the upper arm 36 being bent upwardly so as to provide on its underside a rail flange engaging gripping portion 40, which is of convex configuration when the clip is viewed in side elevation as in the Figure 3, while the lower arm 37 of the clip is formed at its free end with a gripping portion 41 similarly convex on its upper side.

The length of the two clip arms 36 and 37 and the disposition of the gripping portions 40 and 41 respectively thereon, is such that the distance measured in a substantially horizontal direction in a vertical plane disposed lengthwise of the two arms and measured between the outer end 42 of the connecting portion 38 and the gripping portion 40, 41 of each arm which is nearest such outer end 42, is substantially greater than the vertical spacing between the two gripping portions considering the clip in its unstressed condition depicted in Figure 3 as well as in its fully driven and stressed condition depicted in Figure 1.'

Thus with the particular construction depicted in the i l tm away from the rail.

4 drawing, the spacing between the two gripping portions 40 and 41 is in either case at least substantially one-third of the said horizontally measured distance.

This horizontally measured distance is the same for each of the two clip arms, thus permitting of the clip being driven into a rail securing position in which the upper arm gripping portion 40" is vertically above the lower arm gripping portion 41.

In the preferred arrangement illustrated, each clip may have an overall dimension in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the length of the rail of about 4 and is formed from heat treated spring steel strip of cross-section 2'' wide by thick, while the minimum distance or gap between the two gripping portions 40,41, with the clip in the unstressed condition may be This distance or gap between the free ends of the two arms of the clip will increase to a maximum distance of about in consequence of the prestressing which would be imparted to the clip during its mounting in its working position i.e. on subsequently removing such a clip the aforesaid distance of between the gripping portions 40, 41, would be increased up to approximately the figure of about With the arrangement described, the shoulders 30 constitute pre-setting shoulders for pre-stressing the metal of each clip when these are driven into the illustrated rail securing position, i.e. by disposing the clips at the sides of the base plate with the two arms superposed as illustrated in the drawing and inserting the end of the lower arm 37 within the mouth of the corresponding base plate hole 24, 25, as the case may be. The clips would then normally be driven into their working position by means of an ordinary hammer although where the clearances at the side of the rail track are restricted, for example, by adjacent conductor rails, a special form of clip driving tool may be provided which is adapted to lever the clip into position, such tool engaging with the outside of the connecting portion 38 of the clip.

Where the clips are initially completely detached from the base plate they would first be driven into the intermediate chain line position depicted at 43 in Figure 1 in which the rail engaging part 40 of the upper clip arm 36 engages with the shoulder face 31 at which position the two clip arms are forced apart from one another by the maximum distance which, in the particular example referred to, results in the distance between the two gripping portions 40, 41, being increased by about /2 as compared with their relative spacing when the clip is in the unstressed condition depicted in Figure 3.

As the clip is further driven the gripping portion 40 of the upper clip arm 36 rides over the adjacent edge of the shoulder 30, the clip moving into the full line rail securing position depicted in Figure l of the drawings in which the two gripping portions 40, 41 of the clip are spaced from one another by a distance of about As less than their maximum spacing above referred to, thereby ensuring that with the clip in the working or rail securing position illustrated, it is subjected to a working stress less than the maximum stress corresponding to the position 43 above referred to for the reasons stated earlier in this specification.

Insofar as the shoulder 30 projects above the adjacent surface of the rail flange, it necessarily provides along its edge 44 adjacent the rail seating a clip retaining abutment which serves effectively to retain the clip in its working position in that it is essential that the upper arm 36 be forced upwardly to bring it clear of this abutment before the clip moves out of its working position.

However, as will be apparent from Figure 1 of the drawings, the clip is normally intended to be driven in such a manner that its upper arm 36 is clear of the adjacent rail seating shoulder 30 which merely serves to engage the upper clip arm and retain the clip in rail securing position in the unlikely event of it working in a di- Thus normally the only parts which are engaged by the clip are the rail flange which is engaged by the upper arm gripping portion 49 and the abutment surface 26 which is engaged by the lower arm gripping portion 41, that is to say, the clip is designed to be retained in its operative position depicted in Figure 1 solely by the engagement between its two gripping portions 40 and 41 and the rail flange and abutment surface 26 respectively.

As the horizontal distance between the two gripping portions 40 and 41 and the outer end 42 of the connecting portion 38 is the same in the case of each arm with the clip in its operative position, the two gripping portions 40 and 41 will be vertically opposed to one another, that is to say, the gripping portions of the upper and lower arms 36, 37 are adapted for pressure engagement respectively with the rail flange and abutment surface 26 in a common substantially vertical plane, which plane extends transversely of the length of the arms and parallel to the rail 22.

It will be appreciated from this that with the clip in the fully driven position the upward reaction force exerted on the rail flange on the upper gripping portion 49, will be disposed in the same or substantially the same vertical plane aforementioned as that containing the reaction force exerted by the underside abutment surface 26 on the gripping portion 41 of the lower clip arm.

Thus these two reaction forces will be opposed or substantially opposed to one another, namely, in or substantially in the vertical plane aforementioned, and with the clip in its fully driven stressed rail securing position as the forces acting on the clip are only these two reaction forces, the clip will be subject to little or no external force tending to displace it angularly in a vertical plane, in such a manner as might lead to disengagement or partial disengagement of either of its two arms from the rail flange or abutment surface 26 as the case may be, particularly under the vertical movement of the rail which ocgurs under service conditions.

Ifit her words, the clip when fully driven is basically in a stable condition.

The attainment of this highly desirable result is ensured by making the vertical depth of each lower clip arm receiving hole 24, 25, throughout its clip arm receiving length including its outer end or mouth 33 appreciably greater than the corresponding. dimension or vertical depth of the lower arm 37 of the clip. In other words, the vertical dimension aforesaid of each hole 24, 25 is throughout its clip arm receiving length appreciably greater than the thickness of the clip forming strip material, namely, /32" in the example above quoted.

Thus as shown in Figure 1 with each clip in its fully driven position clearance is provided between both the upper and lower sides of the lower clip arm 37 and the adjacent upper and lower sides of the holes 24 and 25 in the base plate, thus during the driving of the clip into position, the lower arm is free to move angularly in a vertical plane within the base plate hole 24 or 25, so as to ensure that the two gripping portions attain the vertically opposed position above referred to when the clip is fully driven.

The aforesaid clearance between the upper and lower sides of the lower arm 37 of each clip and the corresponding sides of the base plate hole funther serves to prevent the trapping of water within these holes as would lead to corrosion both of the base plate and also of the lower clip arm therein, which corrosion not only would ultimately reduce or destroy the desired characteristics of the parts, but would also seriously impede removal of the clips for rail replacement purposes.

The absence of this undesirable trapping of water within the base plate holes 24, 25, is further ensured by providing as shown in Figure 2 clearance between the edges of the lower clip arm and the adjacent vertical sides of the '6 in a downward direction towards its'rnouth 33 in addition to the provision offthe drain-age holes 28.

The clearance aforesaid depicted .in Figure 2 further facilitates the free angular movement above mentioned of the lower arm of each clip in its base plate hole.

Instead of driving the clips as above described from a position inwhich they are initially completely detached from the base plate, the clips may be prepositioned on the base plate in the dashed line position depicted at 46 in Figure 1, in which the rail engaging part 40' of the upper clip arm engages within the clip retaining groove 34, the clips being pro-mounted in this position of the works or depot, whereupon the base plates with the clips so mounted would thenbe despatched to the rail laying or re-laying site, and the provision of these clip retaining gnooves 34 avoids the possibility of clips being lost at the side of the track during the rail securing operation, with consequent saving in time and labour on the site.

With the clips in the partially driven position depicted at 46 in Figure 1, it will be appreciated from the drawing that the extremity of the upper arm 36 of each clip is well clear of the seating 33 so that the rails can readily be positioned and removed under these circumstances.

The provision of these clip retaining grooves 34 fur ther enables the clips to be displaced into the partially withdrawn position 46 referred to and the rail removed without the clip being separated from the base plate and becoming lost or detached, and at the same time there is avoided the possibility of the clip flying off the base plate as the stress is relieved, with consequent possible danger to an adjacent operator.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing description, when the clips are in their fully driven or working position, the two clip arms 36, 37, become relatively moved apart, i.e. expanded by a' distance of about as compared with their relative spacing with the clip in its initial unstressed condition.

Each clip may be so designed as when in its initial partially driven position in which the upper arm engages within the base plate retaining. groove the clip is expanded by a distance of about /8" so as to grip the base plate with a loading of about 5 cwts. the clip in the fully driven position gripping the corresponding rail flange with a loading or holding down force of about 15 cwts.

Referring now to the further construction depicted in Figures 4 to 6 of the drawings, there is here illustrated a modification of the'preceding arrangement in which four instead of two clips are provided for securing the rail to each base plate. For this purpose instead of providing two lower clip arm receiving holes as in the preceding construction, the base plate adjacent each of these four corners is recessed at 47 on its underside in a direction perpendicular to the length of the rail, the upper side 26 of each of which recesses corresponds to the upper side holes 24, 25, of the preceding construction and is adapted similarly to engage with the free end 41 of the lower clip arm 37.

In the particular construction illustrated in Figures 4-6; the base plate shoulders 30 do not extend by any very appreciable distance above the adjacent upper side of the rail foot flange 29 so that the clip is subjected to little or no pre-setting during its driving into position, i.e. the maximum stress to which the clip is subjected during driving is the same or substantially the same as the working stress.

The base plate shoulders 30 do, however, extend above the adjacent rail flange surface by a distance sufiicient to engage with the vertical shoulder side 48 of a clip re taining recess formed on the underside of each upper clip arm 36, near the free end thereof, so as thereby to retain the clip positively as opposed to frictionally in its working position.

Each of the clip arms are tapered in the direction of their width as shown in Figure 5, instead of being of UIIIiform width throughout their length as in the preceding holes, as well as by-sloping the lower side 27 of each hole construction.

However, with this latter construction the upper side of each base plate shoulder 30 is substantially fiat and horizontal instead of being downwardly inclined and provided with a clip retaining groove as in the preceding construction.

Otherwise the construction and mode 'of operation of the arrangement depicted in Figures 46 is similar to that of the construction in Figures 1-3. In particular it will be noted, substantial clearance is provided'between the upper side of the lower arm of the clip and the underside of the recess 47, as well as between the lower side of the clip arm and the upper surface of the sleeper, thereby enabling the clip to adjust itself angularly in a vertical plane during its driving into position as in the case of.

the construction already described. Such clearance further permits of adequate drainage from the interior of of each of the recesses 47.

For disengaging the clip from the rail With either of the above described constructions, any simple form of :tool which engages within the interior of the clip connecting portion '38 may be used.

Instead of forming the clip from strip material it may be formed, as shown in Figures 7-8, by taking a length of metal bar, bending the bar to elongated U-configuration, then bending each limb of the U to the elongated C-configuration referred to as shown in Figure 8 so that the outer end portion 49 of each limb is situated in a vertical plane spaced longitudinally of the rail (with the clip in situ) from the vertical plane containing the inner end portion 50 of each limb, and these two limb portions 50 together form the upper rail engaging arm of the clip, the rail engaging part of which arm is constituted by the bent or bight 51 of the original U-shaped length of metal bar, While the two limb portions 49 together form the lower arm of the clip which engages with the underside of the base plate in like manner to the constructions already described.

With each of the above described constructions, in order to increase the resiliency of the assembly, a rubber or other resilient pad may, as indicated at 52 in Figure 4, be interposed between the underside of the rail flange and the base plate seating 33, although it would then be necessary to increase the depth of such seating in the case of the construction depicted in Figures 1-3 to maintain the particular characteristics above specified of the clip there described.

In Figure 9 is depicted a modification of the arrangement illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 in which the upper side 26 of each lower clip arm-receiving recess 47 is at its inner end where indicated at 54 parallel to the upper surface 32 of the rail flange thereabove, which upper surface 32 is flush with the adjacent upper side 31 of the base plate and reliance is here placed solely on the frictional engagement between the free ends of the two clip arms and the said surfaces 32, 54, for retaining the clip in the working position illustrated in Figure 9.

In Figure 10 is illustrated a slight modification of the arrangement depicted in Figure 9 in which the said upper surface 54 of the recess 47 is inclined upwardly in a direction towards the inner end of the recess at an angle to the horizontal greater than the slope of the said rail flange surface 32 so that the upper side of the said lower clip arm-receiving recess 47 is, in fact, provided at 55 with a shoulder corresponding to the shoulder 39 of the construction depicted in Figures 1 and 2 which serve in similar manner both to preset the clip and also to retain it more positively in its working position than is the case with the construction depicted in Figure 9, in that neces sarily the clip must be expanded somewhat to bring the free end of the lower clip arm over this shoulder 55 when the clip is withdrawn.

In the further modified construction depicted in Figure 11 which is generally similar to the modifications in Figures 9 and 10, the free end of the lower clip arm 37 is bent upwardly to engage within a groove 57 provided on the upper side of the said recess 47 at the inner end thereof, so as thereby positively to retain the clip in position.

In Figure 12 is depicted a further modification in which the upper side 54 of the inner end of the lower clip armreceiving recess 47 is horizontal and reliance is placed on the engagement between the free end of the upper clip arm and the adjacent base plate shoulder 30 to retain the clip in position.

Rail fastening means in accordance with the present invention in addition to possessing the advantages above described, namely, the inherently stable sleeve retaining characteristics of the clip possesses the following further advantages:

(1) No special skill or gauging operation on the part of the operator is required to ensure that the clips apply the requisite holding down force to the rail without at the same time the metal of the clip being over stressed, it being merely necessary for the operator to drive the clip into a position in which the gripping portion of the upper arm of the clip is adapted to apply holding down pressure to the rail foot flange and the gripping portion of the lower arm engages with the downwardly directed abutment surface above referred to.

(2) As applied to base plates which are mounted on timber sleepers or on concrete sleepers provided with resilient ferrules for receiving screws or spikes, there is no necessity at all to disturb the driven position of the screw or spike where provided in the wooden or the concrete sleeper for securing the base plate thereto, as is the case with the existing resilient rail securing means above referred to, for the purpose of effecting rail removal which in the case of the existing customary arrangement of resilient spike above referred to, necessitates the complete removal of spike from the sleeper to permit of the rail itself being removed.

(3) It is considered that the metal in each clip is used in a particularly eflicient manner with the whole or substantially the whole of the holding down pressure exerted by the clip transmitted to the rail. 7

In this connection it is pointed out that where the resilient fastening means either comprises a clip positioned by a spike or bolt or comprises an arm formed integrally with the spike shank and connected resiliently thereto, part of the holding down force capable of being exerted by the spike or bolt is applied to the base plate or sleeper instead of being wholly applied to the rail as is the case with the present invention. For example, in the known arrangement in which the clip is carried by a spike or bolt one end of the clip commonly engages with the base plate or sleeper and the other end of the clip engages with the rail so that the holding down force exerted by the bolt or spike is transmitted only partly to the rail and partly direct to the base plate.

This last mentioned advantage of the present invention is in particular obtained by reason of the fact that as above described the two arms of each clip are of the same or are of substantially the same length and the clip is retained by its gripping engagement with the base plate and rail flange without any reliance being placed on the provision of specially provided lugs or other projections on the base plate for engaging with the clip and resisting part of the reaction component exerted by the rail on the clip, eg by engaging the connecting portion which joins together the two arms of the clip.

(4) Since the side thrust between the fastening means and the base plate holes obtaining with the existing resilient construction above referred to is with the present invention avoided, it is possible with the present invention to form the base plates in cast iron instead of steel with the advantages already referred to, such formation of the base plates in cast iron being permitted by reason of the fact that the metal in the base plates is subjected only to compressive stress.

L (5) The resilient fastening clips employed are of a 9 particularly simple and inexpensive construction. alleinherently capable of being readily positioned and;re:-: moved. 'i i (6)- Where as is preferred the clip; is. subjected during driving to a. stress higher than the. working. stress and preferably somewhat higher than the elastic; limit of the material employed, it is possible to avoid: any likelihood of the clip failing under service conditionsin that when the clip is in the fully driven rail securing position, one can thereby ensure that the maximumstress to which the clip is subjected is at all times below the stress to which the clip is subjected during. its positioning into its, rail driving position, and it is thereby; possible to ensure that; there is no danger of the clip when inthe; fully driven working or rail securing position failingbyfatigue under service conditions in consequence of the material of the clip being stressed under working conditions to a value which is at or above the elastic limit of the material employed.

In this connection it may be pointed out that in practice the maximum stress to which the clip. wouldbe subjected when in its working or rail securing position would be substantially below the elastic limit of the, material so as to provide an adequate safety factor. For instance, the maximum working stress of the clip may be approximately 75-80% of the elastic limit and the attainment of this result would in practice be ensured by subjectingthe clip during its driving into position to a maximum stress corresponding to the maximum distance apart during driving of the two clip arms which is considerably greater than the maximum stress to which the clip is subjected in its working position, such maximum driving stress being advantageously in some cases somewhat higher than the elastic limit so as thereby in the known manner to raise the elastic limit of the material in the. course of the driving. of the clip intopositiDn,

For instance during driving the maximum-stress to which the material of the clip would be subjected may be at least 15-25% greater than the; maximum working; stress.

This result is achieved as already described by so forming the clips as to be initially slightly undersizeie, the minimum distance. between the outer end portions: ofthe two arms would be slightly less than the correct dis? tance so that the first time the clip. is driven into its working position it is slightly distorted so that a slight pen manently increased distance; apart is given to. the two arms. so as to bring the clip, when. subsequently removed completely, substantially to the nominal size. In. other words, the clip during driving is subjected; to maximum stress somewhat greater than the elastic limit so as to efiect a pre-setting of the clip and impart to. it this slight permanent distortion. At the same time the elasic limit of the material forming the clip may thereby be raisedv soas thereby to ensure as far as possible that during working the clips are subjected to a workingstressbelow. the elastic limit for the reasons above mentioned.

(7) With each of the foregoing embodiments of the invention as best shown in Figures 2 and 5, the lateral edges of the. lower arm 37 of each clip extend between the vertical i.e. lateral sides 55 of the base plate hole or recess as the case may-be, slight clearance being'provided between these edges and the hole or recess sides 55 so as to permit of the easy driving of the clip into its operative position, but this. clearance is. sufficiently small as to permit of the lateral edgesof .thelower clip arm engaging with these hole or recess lateral. sides. 55. in the event of the clip tending tomove in. a direction longitudinally of the rail or tending'to turn. about a vertical axis under the effect of rail creep so as thereby effectively to preclude any significant. turning movement as aforesaid and retain the. clip: in the. desired. position in whichits arms extend substantially perpendicular to the length-of'the rail.

' Whatl claim then is:

1i; securing: means. comprising in combination, a s1eep.er,: a. base plate separate from: said sleeper, means mounting said base plate on the upper side of said sleeper, a. flange-footedra'il' on said seat, said base plate having at each of its: two: lateral, sides an opening formed in said base plate, each of said openings extending beneath said seat in a substantially horizontal direction, said separate base plate defining the lower substantially horizontally extending wall of each of said openings, a pair of resilient clips disposed. one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion; ofcurved. configuration joining-said arms together at one end: thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged: transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontallybetween its connecting portion and its; free end and extending within one of said base plate openings to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the. adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said base plate opening, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common; substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length: of the rail, eachclip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting} portion and on the upper and lower sides; of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away'from the adjacent rail and base plate, to permit of the clip; moving freely during driving in a vertical. plane perpendicular to therail into its rail securing position; in which its gripping portions are disposed ina position wherein their respective gripping pressures are applied. inz said common substantially vertical plane.

2. Rail: securing means comprising in combination, a sleeper, a base plate separate from said sleeper, a flangefooted railon said seat, said base plate having at each of its-two lateral sides a blind hole formed in said base plate, each of said blind holes extending beneath said seat in a substantially horizontal direction, the lower Wall to-each ofsaid blind holes sloping downwardly to the horizontal in a direction from'the inner to the outer end of the associated blind hole, said baseplate having a pair of drainage passages with each passage extending downwardlyfrom the inner end of one of said blind holes to the underside; ofthe base plate, a pair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of therail, each clip embodying upper'andlower. arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configurationjoining said arms together at one end thereof,.each clip; having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and itsfree end and extending within one of said base plate blind holes-to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper andlower'clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said base plate blind hole, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail and base plate, to permit of the clip moving freely during driving in a vertical plane perpendicular to the rail into its rail securing position in which its gripping portions are disposed in a position wherein their respective gripping pressures are applied in saidcommon substantially vertical plane.

3. Rail securing means comprising in combination, a base plate having a rail seat, a flange-footed rail on said seatj said base plate having at each lateral side of said rail seat a pair of bolt receiving holes extending downwardly through the base plate,.said base plate on. each .of

11 its lateral sides intermediate the two bolt receiving holes of each pair, having a blind hole extending substantially horizontally from said lateral side to a position beneath said rail seat, the upper and lower walls to said blind holes being respectively upwardly and downwardly inclined to the horizontal in a direction from the inner to the outer end of each blind hole, a pair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configuration joining said arms together at one end thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and its free end and extending within one of said base plate blind holes to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent said foot flange and the upper side of said base plate blind hole, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, and each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail and base plate.

4. Rail securing means comprising in combination a sleeper, a base plate on the upper side of said sleeper, said base plate having a rail seat, a flange footed rail on said seat, said base plate having at each of its two lateral sides an opening extending in a substantially horizontal direction above the upper side of said sleeper from each of said lateral sides of the base plate to a position beneath said rail seat, apair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configuration joining said arms together at one end thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and its free end and extending within one of said base plate openings to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said base plate opening, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, and each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail, base plate and sleeper, to permit of the clip moving freely during driving in a vertical plane perpendicular to the rail into its rail securing position in which its gripping portions are disposed in a position wherein their respective gripping pressures are applied in said common substantially vertical plane.

5. Rail securing means comprising in combination a sleeper, a base plate on the upper side of said sleeper, said base plate having a rail seat, a flange footed rail on said seat, said base plate having at each of its two lateral sides a blind hole extending in a substantially horizontal direction above the upper side of said sleeper from each of said lateral sides of the base plate to a position beneath said rail seat, the lower part of said base plate defining the substantially horizontally extending lower wall of each of said blind holes, each of said lower walls sloping downwardly to the horizontal in a direction from the inner to the'outerend of the associated blind hole, a pair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configuration joining said arms together at one end thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and its free end and extending within one of said blind holes to a posi tion beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said blind hole, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, and each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail, base plate and sleeper to permit of the clip moving freely during driving in a vertical plane perpendicular to the rail into its rail securing position in which its gripping portions are disposed in a position wherein their respective gripping pressures are applied in said common substantially vertical plane.

6. Rail securing means comprising in combination a sleeper, a base plate on the upper side of said sleeper, said base plate having a rail seat, a flange footed rail on said seat, said base plate having at each of its two lateral sides an opening extending in a substantially horizontal direction above the upper side of said sleeper from each of said lateral sides of the base plate to a position beneath said rail seat, a pair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configuration joining said arms together at one end thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and its free end and extending within one of said base plate openings to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said base plate opening, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail, base plate and sleeper, each of said openings having oppositely directed substantially vertically extending lateral sides disposed transversely of the length of the rail and the edges of each lower clip arm engaging between said opposed lateral sides of said opening.

7. Rail securing means comprising in combination a sleeper, a base plate on the upper side of said sleeper, said base plate having a rail seat, a flange footed rail on said seat, said base plate having at each of its two lateral sides a blind hole extending in a substantially horizontal direction above the upper side of said sleeper from each of said lateral sides of the base plate to a position beneath said rail seat, the lower part of said base plate defining the substantially horizontally extending lower wall of each of said blind holes, each of said lower walls sloping downwardly to the horizontal in a direction from the inner to the outer end of the associated blind hole, a pair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configuration joining said arms together at one end thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and its free end and extending within one of said blind holes to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said blind hole, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail, base plate and sleeper, the lower arm of each of said clips engaging between the lateral sides of the corresponding blind hole receiving said lower arm to locate said clip against tuming movement about a substantially vertical axis under the effect of rail creep.

8. Rail securing means comprising in combination a sleeper, a base plate on the upper side of said sleeper, said base plate having a rail seat, a flange footed rail on said seat, said base plate having at each of its two lateral sides an opening extending in a substantially horizontal direction above the upper side of said sleeper from each of said lateral sides of the base plate to a position be-- neath said rail seat, a pair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configuration joining said arms together at one end thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and its free end and extending within one of said base plate openings to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said base plate opening, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail, base plate and sleeper, and said base plate having a downwardly extending recess formed in its upper surface at a position spaced outwardly in a lateral direction in relation to the adjacent edge of the rail flange, said recess being adapted to receive releasably the free end portion of the upper arm of the clip to retain this in a partially fitted position connected to the base plate with said free end portion of the upper arm of the clip spaced laterally in respect to said adjacent edge of the rail flange.

9. Rail securing means comprising in combination a sleeper, a base plate on the upper side of said sleeper, said base plate having a rail seat, a flange footed rail on said seat, said base plate having in its under side and adjacent each of its two lateral sides a recess extending in a substantially horizontal direction from each lateral side above the upper side of the sleeper to a position beneath said rail seat, the upper part of said sleeper defining the substantially horizontally extending lower wall of each of said recesses, a pair of resilient clips disposed one at each side of the rail, each clip embodying upper and lower arms and a resilient connecting portion of curved configuration joining said arms together at one end thereof, each clip having its two arms arranged transversely of the length of the rail with its lower arm disposed substantially horizontally between its connecting portion and its free end and extending within one of said base plate recesses to a position beneath said rail seat, said upper and lower clip arms adjacent their free ends remote from said connecting portion constituting gripping portions applying gripping pressure respectively to the adjacent rail foot flange and the upper side of said base plate recess, said free end gripping portions applying their respective gripping pressures in a common substantially vertical plane extending parallel to the length of the rail, and each clip on the inner and outer sides of its connecting portion and on the upper and lower sides of its arms except adjacent their free ends being spaced away from the adjacent rail, base plate and sleeper, to permit of the clip moving freely during driving in a vertical plane perpendicular to the rail into its rail securing position in which its gripping portions are disposed in a position wherein their respective gripping pressures are applied in said common substantially vertical plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,063,374 Morgan June 3, 1913 1,111,889 Fiken Sept. 29, 1914 1,265,628 Dickinson May 7, 1918 1,346,965 Kehn July 20, 1920 1,694,313 Dalton Dec. 4, 1928 1,741,005 Adams Dec. 24, 1929 1,971,927 Willard Aug. 28, 1934 1,979,825 Dalton Nov. 6, 1934 2,064,664 Keen Dec. 15, 1936 2,099,786 Woodings Nov. 23, 1937 2,502,281 Sann June 11, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES Railway Gazette, April 5, 1957 (page 19, copy available in Scientific Library and in Division 34, 238-349). 

